Field of the Invention
This invention relates to propulsion apparatus particularly directed to but not limited to apparatus for propelling vehicles in airless regions.
Propulsion apparatus for travel in airless regions, at the present date, is limited to chemically fueled reaction engines, namely rockets. Although this type of engine is efficient, weight and volume of rocket fuel necessarily limits the range and payload of vehicles propelled in this manner.
Unless use can be made of energy developed by atomic reaction to afford a propulsive effect, space craft will only be able to travel a relatively short distance away from the earth. To date no reaction engine has been developed utilizing the energy released by atomic reaction. Engines, however, have been developed where an energy released by atomic reaction in the form of heat can be utilized to provide electrical energy.